Raila Odinga’s ODM party has dropped the clearest hint it could form an alliance with Deputy President William Ruto ahead of the 2022 General Election.
In a statement seen by KIVUMBI.co.ke, the opposition party said the coalition agreement it is working on will ‘shake the country and shape the politics of the land for years to come’.
“Knowing that partnerships are an essential part of our politics, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is also working on a broader, better, and bolder alliance that will shake the country and shape the politics of the land for years to come,” said the statement signed by ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna.
The statement also says ODM is focused on social democracy and desire to empower the masses through fighing poverty, a strategy lately employed by William Ruto through his hustler narrative.
“As an avowed centre-left movement, our ideals of social democracy and desire to empower the masses and fight poverty hold supreme above all else,” goes on the ODM statement.
The development comes on the same day William Ruto said he is open to working with Raila Odinga provided he subscribes to his hustler-focused political model.
Speaking on Radio Citizen morning show on Thursday March 25, Ruto said he is open to join a political formation with a national outlook and subscribes to his pro-poor ideals.
“We have our plans, if he (Raila) believes in us, we will agree and work together… anybody who wants to join us to fight poverty and other things that ail the country is welcome,” the Deputy President said.
Talk of the two obviously most formidable politicians working together has been rife in the recent past ahead o the 2022 General Election.
Early March, Raila’s elder brother Oburu Odinga suggested the ODM leader and Ruto can still working together if circumstances allow since their differences are just political and not personal.
And with the ODM statement saying the party has a history of working with its perceived enemies, little was left for the imagination in as far as Raila and Ruto working together is concerned.
“Our record of building coalitions, building bridges with perceived enemies and propping up younger and energetic leaders speaks for itself. We are working on one again,” reads the statement.
Raila’s former partners in the 2013 and 2017 General Election Musalia Mudavadi, Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetangula have ditched him and formed an alliance with Baringo Senator Gideon Moi.
The alliance, dubbed One Kenya, seems to enjoy cordial relations with Uhuru Kenyatta and it is believed he will chose a successor from the quadruple.
Ruto on the other hand has fallen out of favour with his political partner Uhuru Kenyatta with whom they formed a formidable political force to win the presidency in 2013 and 2017.
Ruto and Raila once formed a strong force, alongside other three politicians, which come second in the highly disputed 2007 General Election.
Both Raila and Ruto unanimously agree that Kalonzo, Wetangula, Mudavadi, and Gideon Moi head tribal political parties which have no national outlook.
